


Commanding Officers

by merlins_sister



Series: Logical Boomer [4]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-04
Updated: 2012-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-01 02:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/351174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merlins_sister/pseuds/merlins_sister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hoshi, Travis and Malcolm consider their promotion prospects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Commanding Officers

**Author's Note:**

> An interlude in the Logical Boomer universe.

Hoshi put the padd down as Travis arrived at the table with his lunch, trying to smother the sigh that had left her lips as she did so. It just wasn't fair what had happened. Not at all.

"You okay there, Hoshi?" Travis asked, prompting her to look up at the helmsman.

"Fine," she replied.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Travis paused before continuing, "It's just that you look like you've spent a week translating a language and then someone's hit the delete button." He paused again. "Or someone's stolen your cheesecake. I could go either way with this."

Hoshi looked at him before picking up the padd again. "Do you remember that woman in my academy class that used to drive me nuts? The one we always swore would not make it past her first assignment?"

Travis nodded, almost wanting to back away from the table as a flash of anger appeared in his friend's eyes. 

"Just got a letter. She's been promoted to Lieutenant."

Travis nearly dropped his knife and fork. "No way!" he exclaimed. "But she did the whole thing with the thing..."

"I know."

"And then there was the whole whatsit with the other thing..."

"I know."

Travis shook his head. "I don't believe it."

"Tell me about it." Hoshi sighed as she put her padd down. "I mean, it's not like I want to be a Captain or anything. But I'm on Enterprise. Doing all sorts of stuff. You'd think I would have made it to Lieutenant before her. You definitely."

Travis shrugged. "I suppose you can never tell about these things. Still..."

"Yeah. Still..."

The two Ensigns looked at each other before sighing and staring at the table, only looking up at the sound of a jovial 'Good afternoon' from Malcolm.

Looking between his two friends Malcolm paused in removing his plates from the tray to the table. "Has someone died?"

"No," replied Hoshi. "It's worse. Someone's got promoted."

At Malcolm's confused look Travis explained, "It's the cadet that Hoshi and I trained with. You know. She did that thing with the thing."

Malcolm looked shocked. "Oh dear. Not the woman who got involved in that whatsit."

"The very same," Hoshi replied with a sigh. "Now a Lieutenant."

"I don't believe it," Malcolm said.

"We know," said Hoshi and Travis in union.

"But then you can never tell," he continued.

"Yeah," his two companions replied.

"Still," he smiled, "it'll be your turn soon."

Hoshi snorted. "There is no way any of us will be getting promoted before we get back to Earth."

"What are you talking about?" Malcolm asked. "There are plenty of opportunities on Enterprise."

"True, but the Captain won't be able to risk it," Hoshi replied.

At the two men's look of confusion she continued, "He won't be able to risk the accusations of favouritism."

"Why would that happen?" Travis asked.

Hoshi looked between them, surprise obvious on her face that they hadn't thought of this before. Pointing to herself she said, "Sleeping with the second officer, and close friend of the Captain." Pointing to Travis she said, "Sleeping with the first officer, and close friend of the Captain." And with a final wave to Malcolm, "Actually sleeping with the Captain."

"I don't see what that has to do with anything," Malcolm replied indignantly. "Starfleet is fully aware of the situation."

"Exactly," Hoshi replied. "The Captain can't do anything because they would be suspicious of the reasons. And he can't have Trip and T'Pol make recommendations for the same reasons. Any promotion plans any of us had ground to a halt the day we fell in love with our partners."

The two men looked at each other before Travis said, "I think you're exaggerating, Hoshi. I mean, on a cargo ship there is nothing but family and friends. That works out okay."

"But it's not meant to work for a Starfleet vessel. That's why we have fraternisation rules. Or at least are meant to." Hoshi smiled. "I have it on good authority that some people at home have nicknamed Enterprise 'The Love Boat' because of what has happened between us all."

Malcolm put his knife and fork down. "Bloody cheek. We can't help falling in love. And they should try being out here for five years and see what that does for their fraternisation rules." He picked up his fork again and started to stab at his food. "Besides, they know we're all professionals."

"Malcolm, you of all people must understand this. It was the very reason we had to work so hard to get Jon to act on his feelings for you. He felt that one of the senior officers should at least be seen to be impartial."

Malcolm looked up at Hoshi, finally stopping his attack on the plate. He sighed before nodding his agreement. "I know, I know. It's just a shame that it's had to affect you two as well."

"We're too much of a family now," Hoshi replied gently. "Which is good though."

Another nod of agreement from Malcolm. "True," he said. "Very true."

"And I suppose it's hard enough for T'Pol, as a non- Starfleet officer, as it is," said Travis. "We don't need any more hassle than we have already." He started to push his food around.

"And I was always planning to go back to being Professor Sato when this mission ended," Hoshi said. "So long term I suppose it doesn't matter..."

The three friends looked at each other before letting out a deep sigh.

Travis paused in his pushing of food. "We are so screwed."

Hoshi took a sip of her drink before letting the twitch at the edges of her mouth to spread into a grin. "Well, at least it makes up for not getting promoted."

All three of them looked at each other before bursting into laughter. They were laughing so hard they didn't notice their loved ones coming out of the Captain's Dining Room.

"Everything okay here?" Jon asked as they came to a stop next to the table.

With snorts, gulps and a particularly loud choking sound from Travis, the three junior officers managed to bring themselves back under control. Just.

"Fine, thank you, Captain," Malcolm replied, looking anywhere but at Jon, Hoshi or Travis. 

Jon looked at Trip and T'Pol before returning his attention to the seated officers. "We've been talking to Chef about Phlox's birthday next week. You three okay to meet tonight to discuss the plans?"

"Fine by me," Malcolm managed.

"No problems," replied Travis.

"Absolutely," said Hoshi.

The trio at the table managed a look at each other. Noting the pleading look in the Ensigns eyes, Malcolm led the way out of the situation. 

"Well, if you'll excuse us, sir, we have to get back to duty."

"Of course," Jon replied. "See you on the Bridge." He watched as Malcolm, Hoshi and Travis grabbed their cutlery and almost ran for the door. He turned back to Trip and T'Pol.

"Curious," said T'Pol.

"Suspicious more like it," said Trip.

Jon looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "T'Pol, make a change to the rotas so those three get less lunches together for the time being." He paused. "They're starting to make me nervous."

And with that the commanding officers returned to duty.


End file.
